The official road of the farmer

On the evening of the third day, Yu Maolin's carriage stopped at the gate of Ye Mansion, ready to go to Qionglin Banquet together.

Ye Junshu has already been admitted to Tanhua, which can be said to be a fish leaping from the dragon gate. From the moment he was admitted, their family changed their family status and no longer belonged to the farm gate.

In the past, the Ye family could only be called a house, which was what ordinary people called a house. Now that Ye Junshu is an official, it can be called a mansion.

Yu Maolin made a special detour to wait for Ye Junshu, planning to go together.

The Qionglin Banquet is a grand banquet given by the emperor to the new Jinshi. It is usually held in the evening, and it is named because it is given to the new Jinshi in Qionglin Garden. It is also called "Wenxi Banquet".

Qionglin Garden is not in the imperial palace, but in the west of Shangjing, facing north, opposite Jinming Pool.

However, since the previous dynasty, the Qionglin Banquet was no longer held in the Qionglin Garden, but was changed to the Royal Garden of the Imperial Palace, but this name has always been followed.

It is of course a great honor and a very rare beauty for the emperor to give a banquet in such a beautiful garden. The guests can not only taste all kinds of delicacies in the palace, but also enjoy the beautiful scenery in the garden.

Proud to all who were lucky enough to participate.

In such a grand banquet, in addition to 250 eight new scholars, there were also hundreds of civil and military officials of the dynasty, and relatives of the emperor.

Although they are all civil and military officials, only the fourth rank and above are eligible to participate in the banquet, and there are only four to fifty people in general, plus more than ten royal relatives and relatives.

Ye Junshu and Yu Maolin both got into the carriage, and the wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs sounded, and they ran towards the palace.

The relationship between them has been announced, so naturally there is no need to have any scruples when doing things.

The carriage stopped at the entrance of the palace, and Ye Junshu and Yu Maolin got out of the carriage.

They were not the first to come, there were already many Jinshi standing there, and as soon as Ye Junshu and the two got out of the car, someone came forward to say hello.

Deng Hongyuan didn't come forward, and Ye Junshu didn't have any contact with him, but he always had opinions on himself. He was kind to Yu Maolin, but he obviously left him in the cold.

Ye Junshu didn't care at all, it was even a little funny.

Being so emotionally exposed, not to mention making enemies, but with his temperament, it is difficult to go far in the official career, so there is no need for Ye Junshu to take him seriously.

Ye Junshu and the others didn't stay outside the palace for long, and soon went in. Guided by the eunuch's servant, they walked all the way to the imperial garden where the "Qiong Lin Banquet" will be held.

When they entered the imperial garden, the palace lanterns had already been lit, and the huge royal garden was illuminated as brightly as day.

From time to time, figures of eunuchs and servants shuttled through it, and the scene looked very lively.

It is the season of flowers.

The countless flowers are colorful and dazzling.

There are also butterflies of various colors dancing in the flowers, small bridges, pavilions, pavilions, and exotic flowers and grasses dotted among them. Under the illumination of the lanterns, they add a bit of hazy beauty.

Ye Junshu and others passed the arch bridge.Go all the way to Xiyuan.

The imperial garden is divided into east and west gardens. The former is where the queen entertains her family members, while the west garden is where the emperor entertains officials.

When they held the Qionglin Banquet, the Empress would also invite the family members of civil and military officials and the concubines of the harem to hold a banquet in Dongyuan.

To some extent, this Qionglin banquet can be regarded as a blind date banquet in disguise.

Xinke Jinshi is not only the big families wanting to attract talents, even the emperor wants to choose some of them to cultivate into his cronies.

If there is a young Jinshi who is unmarried and has become the favorite of the emperor, it is common to get a matchmaker to give him a marriage or something.

Ye Junshu touched his chest secretly, why did he feel that he might be tricked?

Young, handsome and unmarried, he is still Tanhualang himself, probably missed by many aristocratic families.

He looked around, looking for someone who could share the firepower, but he couldn't find anyone who was as handsome as him.

Being too handsome is also an annoyance, Ye Junshu thought cheekily.

The emperor wouldn't give him a marriage on a whim, would he?

The way the eunuch showed them passed through Dongyuan, and there were already many family members in Dongyuan at this time.

Many of this year's Xinke Scholars are young and unmarried, so they are naturally more popular with wives from aristocratic families. In this way, they have more choices to choose from, and the competition does not have to be so intense.

When the Jinshi passed by, they attracted the attention of countless fans. Even if Ye Junshu tried to reduce his presence, he still attracted the attention of all.

But Ah Yu, as the queen's nephew, should also appear, right?Ye Junshu thought, Ah Yu is also older and unmarried, and the emperor and empress value him so much, no matter what they think in their hearts, they probably want to choose a husband for him among the new Jinshi.

Ye Junshu thought reservedly, if the emperor gave him and Ah Yu a marriage, then he would be very happy.

Unfortunately, I can only think about it.

Ye Junshu's guess was right, Li Yu was indeed staying by the queen's side.

In order to solve Li Yu's major life events, the queen took great pains. After cooperating with Li Changchuan, she cheated Li Yu who didn't want to come to the banquet.

They are standing on a relatively high ground, which is a gorgeous gazebo.From here, you can see every batch of Jinshi who passed through Dongyuan.

The queen noticed Tanhua Lang walking with Zhuangyuan Lang at a glance, and her eyes lit up immediately, "Brother Yu, look, that is Tanhua, a man who is like the wind and the moon, does it fit your eyes?"

The queen was already quite satisfied with Ye Junshu, a young man, but now that he has been admitted to Tanhua, especially at this moment, seeing that he is still so handsome, the queen is even more satisfied.

The queen felt that such a good man must be left to his elder brother Yu!Can't miss it!

Not only the queen was present, but also the favored concubine, and the royal buddies were also present.

Emperor Tai'an has nine sons, four princes, and five highnesses.

The eldest prince was born of the noble concubine of Ming Dynasty, he has grown up now and participated in politics as early as three or four years ago.

The Seventh Prince was born of the empress, and he is only eleven or twelve years old. Although he is a legitimate son, he is not favored, and he is not yet old enough to participate in politics.

The princes are participating in Xiyuan, unless the princes are under seven years old, they will accompany their concubine Mu, but the youngest of the princes is already ten years old.

And the five Highnesses were naturally present.

His Highness Xia Houjue also saw the new scholars. He is the second son of Concubine Ming, and this year is the time to choose a husband.

But the brother of the royal family is not worried about getting married and not going out. Xia Houjue's eyes are picky, picking and picking, and he hasn't picked anyone he likes until now.

When he saw the young and handsome Tan Hua Lang, he was naturally a little moved, but when he heard that Tan Hua Lang came from a farmer's family, he naturally disliked him.

He is a noble majesty, how could he form a bond with a poor family?

It's only Li Yu who can't get out of the bond, so he even wants to make a bond with mud legs.

Xia Houjue sneered, maybe even people with mud legs would despise him!Ugly, and a lot older.

Instead, he took a fancy to the champion who was also unmarried.

Equally personable, he is still the number one scholar with a bright future!He was also from a noble family, so he was worthy of his noble status.

"Concubine Mu, is that the champion of the new division?" Xia Houjue said coquettishly, holding the hand of a bright and noble brother.

The costumes of the No. [-] Scholar, No. [-], and Tanhua are all different, so it is easy for people to distinguish them.

Concubine Ming is over forty years old, but due to proper maintenance, she looks like she is in her early 20s.Hearing this, he glanced over there and nodded slightly: "That's right."

Xia Houjue said with a smile: "Concubine Mu, haven't you and your father been worrying about my marriage? What do you think of the number one scholar? My child really likes it."

Daxia doesn't have much restraint on his brother, at least in some enlightened families, they have some right to speak when it comes to their own marriage. His Royal Highness, as a royal brother, has more freedom in his own marriage.

Concubine Ming patted the back of Xia Houjue's hand lightly, and said approvingly, "My son has vision, and this number one scholar is indeed worthy of His Royal Highness, but Concubine Mu can't be the master, so Concubine Mu will mention it to your royal father later. , let him marry you.”

"Thank you, Concubine Mu!" Xia Houjue was full of ambition, obviously thinking that the number one scholar was in his pocket, and glanced at Li Yu triumphantly.

So what about Tanhualang, he is looking at the number one scholar!

It's a pity that Li Yu didn't even look at this side, and completely regarded them as nothing.

This made Xia Houjue discouraged.

Concubine Rong sneered, and covered her mouth with a handkerchief, "I'm afraid the imperial concubine doesn't know that our new champion has a marriage contract, so it's not appropriate for the emperor to give him a marriage?"

Concubine Rong and Concubine Ming entered the palace at the same time, and they were always at odds, especially after the eldest prince he was supposed to give birth to unexpectedly disappeared, and he couldn't have another child, so he regarded Concubine Ming as a thorn in his side.

The influence of his natal family should not be underestimated either, they are still blatant royalists, even if the Ming family is powerful, he is still not afraid.

As long as the Ming family members feel uncomfortable, he will be comfortable, he doesn't care about the elders and juniors.

"Concubine Rongmu is joking. My majestic father's most beloved Highness is not as good as a pariah? To be able to marry a royal brother is a blessing that many people can't ask for. Can he refuse?" Xia Houjue With a proud face.

Concubine Rong sneered, and directly mocked her face, "If you really have the demeanor of the Ming family, you will do whatever you want, and you are not afraid of losing the face of the royal family if you say it."

"You!" Xia Houjue was furious.

"Okay." The queen said displeasedly, "Concubine Rong, brother Jue is still a child, you are an elder, don't lose your status."

Concubine Rong blessed her body, apologizing without sincerity, "It's my fault, it disturbed your mother's interest."

Noble Concubine Ming was not happy and angry, and after the Queen spoke, he said softly: "Brother Jue is so innocent, I made everyone laugh."

The noble lady on the side smiled and said, "Where, Your Highness Jue is really temperamental..."

Li Yu watched with cold eyes. Although he grew up in the palace next to the empress, he still didn't like double-decker, smiling and stabbing gently.

This palace is the biggest stage. After you sing, I will appear on the stage with a smile on my face, and swords and swords behind my back.

You have to guess twice and guess four times when you say something, and you are not straightforward at all.

His Highness the Fifth Highness was 16 years old, which was exactly the age of his relatives, but his Concubine Mu was an unfavored concubine who had been bullied by the Fourth Highness all the year round, and she looked timid and weak.

In the past, he liked to be by Brother Yu's side. Brother Yu was the most powerful and could protect him.

His Highness the Fifth Highness was also at an age when his heart was sprouting. He had already blushed silently when he saw so many young and promising Jinshi.

Compared with the fourth highness who had a crush on the number one scholar, the fifth highness has taken a fancy to Tanhualang at a glance!

When he saw Tanhualang for the first time, his heart was beating violently. He just thought that the man was so tall and mighty, and his appearance was also extremely good. He was really an outstanding young talent. Husband, is a very happy thing, right?

Hearing that this was chosen by the empress for brother Yu, the joyful heart suddenly sank to the bottom of the valley, and her little face turned pale.

Has he lost his chance?His Highness Fifth secretly looked at the cold-faced Brother Yu, biting his lips silently.

When Ye Junshu and others arrived at Xiyuan, there were already many people inside.

They walked to the seat of Xinke Scholars together.The order before and after is sorted according to the ranking. Naturally, Yu Maolin is in the first place, Ye Junshu is in the third place, and Deng Hongyuan is separated in the middle.

This made it inconvenient to talk to Yu Maolin, so I didn't talk to him specifically.

Wan Xiuhe's father was also at the banquet, and he was following his father at this time, greeting the officials present.

Looking again, Pang Lizan was also following his father.

But just as Ye Junshu and Yu Maolin sat down, a handsome man in his twenties came over accompanied by his personal eunuch. He was dressed in the clothes of a prince, with a modest and friendly attitude, "But the new champion and Tanhua? He has long admired his name .”

Ye Junshu and Yu Maolin stood up and saluted one after another: "I have met the eldest prince."

"Exemption." The eldest prince took a step forward, holding Yu Maolin with both hands, "Today's Qionglin Banquet, the two are the protagonists. This prince has admired the talents of the two for a long time. If you have the opportunity, you should have a good drink!"

"It's an honor to be valued by the First Prince." Yu Maolin replied with a respectful tone.

Ye Junshu also said: "I heard that the eldest prince has both ability and political integrity, I will have to ask for advice after a while."

"Easy to say, easy to say."

The eldest prince exchanged some pleasantries before leaving with his personal eunuch, and then went to greet other Jinshi.

Ye Junshu and Yu Maolin looked at each other silently. Is the eldest prince trying to win over someone?Are you in a hurry.

At the end of Youshi, the scene was already very lively, and almost all the people attending the banquet were present.

While laughing and chatting, I heard a shout suddenly: "The emperor is here!"

I saw Emperor Tai'an walking over on foot under the support of the guard of honor. While Emperor Tai'an was walking towards the throne, everyone in Xiyuan hurriedly stood in the open space in front of the throne, and immediately knelt down on the ground, and there was a neat voice of worship: "Long live my emperor!" Long live long live!"

"Everyone who loves you is free of courtesy."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Everyone just stood up, and then sat down in their seats.

When Emperor Tai'an came, he brought several of his princes with him, only the eldest prince who came earlier was not accompanied.

Ye Junshu didn't need to look to know that the eldest prince's face must be very exciting at this time.

The banquet will begin soon.

The waiter respectfully poured the wine for Tai'an Emperor, and it was put on the imperial table after being inspected by the chief supervisor with a silver needle.

Emperor Tai'an picked up the wine glass and signaled to all the officials, and made an opening remark for the banquet: "Everyone who loves you has dedicated yourself to the Great Xia, and made my Great Xia prosperous and prosperous. I am very pleased. Today's Qionglin Banquet, we don't care Monarchs and ministers, just for fun, don't get drunk and don't return!"

After finishing speaking, Emperor Tai'an drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.

The emperor made a toast to his courtiers, no matter whether they would drink or not, all the people present picked up the wine glasses one after another, raised their heads and drank in one gulp.

The banquet officially started, and the scene quickly became lively.

According to the system, after the banquet, a first-class Jinshi must go forward to toast the emperor to thank him.

Therefore, Ye Junshu, Yu Maolin and Deng Hongyuan got up at the same time after the celebration banquet started, went to the imperial table with wine glasses in their hands, knelt down and toasted to thank the emperor.

Emperor Tai'an seemed to be in a very happy mood today, and he toasted the three of them from afar, "The three lovers are all talents of our Great Xia, so there is no need to be formal. Please rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty Ron." The three of them drank the wine in their glasses and returned to their seats.

As one of the protagonists of the Qionglin Banquet, Ye Junshu and others soon came to toast.

Even though the table was filled with exquisite food, there were not many people who could actually eat. Fortunately, Ye Junshu took care of this situation and filled his stomach in advance, otherwise it would irritate his stomach.

Everyone pushed and changed glasses, you come and go, and after a while, Ye Junshu drank more than a dozen glasses of wine.

The amount of alcohol that has been exercised by drinking with the teacher all the year round is now working.

Ye Junshu never refused anyone who came, and his expression remained unchanged even after he had drunk himself down.

He took the time to glance at Yu Maolin's seat.

Yu Maolin's capacity for alcohol is not very good. As the number one scholar, he has been downed no less than Ye Junshu's. Even though he has taken the anti-alcoholic medicine in advance, his white jade-like face has turned slightly red at this moment.

But the eyes are still clear.Ye Junshu felt a little relieved.

If Yu Maolin got drunk shortly after the banquet started, it would be bad.

Ye Junshu had no choice but to use his friend's love and try his best to draw fire here.

Seeing that Ye Junshu drank so much, all the officials did not change their expressions. Regardless of whether they knew each other, whether they were high officials or small officials, they came to toast Ye Junshu one after another, as if they wanted to see where Ye Junshu's limit was.

No matter which era, it is easiest to spell out feelings on the wine table, and they have obviously become a lot more familiar with each other.

On the military officer's seat, their seats are the same as those of the civil servants, but in order to cater for their appetite, the portions are increased, and even the wine is served in bowls.

Although Li Changchuan has been granted the title of Marquis, he did not sit in the seat of the relatives of the emperor, but sat with the military officers. He still has the title of marshal, so it is not considered as exceeding the limit.

He is not good at conduct and didn't want to come, but because of his younger brother's marriage, he really broke his heart.

The people on the candidate list given by the queen empress are his key observation objects. At first glance, the young unsettled fathers and sons of this class seem to be of good quality. There are not many choices.

The No. 5 Scholar already has a marriage with his fingertips, the No. [-] has a concubine at home, and the prospect is to be determined. The fourth No.[-] is after the official family...

The rest of Li Changchuan always felt that he was not good enough for his elder brother Yu because of his faults.

Tanhualang...

After thinking about it, Li Changchuan always felt that Tanhualang was more suitable, and there was no messy relationship behind him.

The general Shenwu next door to Li Changchuan was eating meat with big mouthfuls. When he noticed the movement of the civil servant, he suddenly laughed and praised: "That kid is not bad, he can drink enough!"

General Shenwu howled like this, and the generals who were working hard looked over immediately.

"That Tanhua Lang has the demeanor of our warriors, but the wine glass is a bit small, and it's refreshing to drink from a bowl. I'll go over and have a few drinks with him!" This general is usually a good drinker. I want to compete.

He picked up two big bowls and a jug of wine, strode over, Xiong Zhuang's body squeezed away the thin and weak civil servants, and the general put the bowls on the table, "Tanhualang, come and drink some bowls!"

Ye Junshu raised his eyebrows. He has always had a good impression of generals, so naturally he would not refuse, and said neatly, "Okay!"

"Refreshing!" The general pulled out the red cork, and poured the fine imperial wine on the big bowl.

Each person picked up a bowl, "Do it!"

After drinking a bowl, the general felt that it was not enough, so he waved his hand, "Continue!"

"Dry!"

On the other side of the generals' seat, several generals who are also good at wine are eager to try, and they really want to go to have a drink with Tan Hualang.

Li Changchuan saw that the military general who had passed by before was not satisfied after toasting two bowls and three bowls, so he went directly to the wine jar.

He raised his eyebrows and motioned to the general beside him to pull him back, "Let him take it easy." Don't get Ren Tanhualang drunk, Li Changchuan wants to investigate more secretly!

"Design!" Several generals couldn't wait to stand up immediately, and then hurried over, pushing away the weak civil servants and joining the drinking ranks.

Li Changchuan: "..." Sure enough, we can't have hope for these reckless men.

When the banquet was at its climax, a young eunuch quietly walked up to the chief executive serving the emperor at the imperial table, whispered a few words, the chief executive nodded, and then the little eunuch left.

The chief executive found a gap and whispered a few words to Emperor Tai'an quietly.

After Emperor Tai'an listened, an interesting smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he glanced back and forth at the ministers who were enjoying the drinks, and then said with a smile: "My dear friends, today is the Qionghua Festival specially held by my court for Xinke Scholars. Lin Yan, to add to the fun of this banquet, let us have a friendly literary battle and see the demeanor of the new scholars, how about it?

Ladies and gentlemen, do you dare to fight? "